BMM4153 examines Apple's leadership: Jobs' transformational innovation via 4 I's, Cook's servant/transactional balance fostering engagement, performance through vision, rewards, employee empowerment.
People management may be defined as the procedure of recruiting, leading and developing group members in order to assist overall values & mission of the company. In the present dynamic and evolving business landscape, effective people management and leadership are critical for the company’s success. These factors not just only cultivate optimistic culture at the place of working, however also drives innovation, staff satisfaction and performance. Leaders offer vision and direction, inspire and encourages the team members, as well as assist in creating an environment favourable to success through encouraging collaboration and communication among the group members (Buchanan, and Huczynski, 2019). Leadership has power to refine to employee engagement and performance, in order to do so leader, highlight the influence of work of employees, celebrate creativity as well as encourage motivation.
Apple Inc. manufactures markets and designs tablets, laptops, smartphones and wearable devices. The organisation provides software application and associated service, accessories and more. Tim Cook is the chief executive officer (CEO) of the company and also serves as an Apple’s board of directors (Apple, 2025). Apple is well-recognised for its robust brand existence, successful corporate culture, innovation, and customer loyalty. Effective leadership at the company is also one of the reasons of its success, since it focuses more on employee performance and engagement. This report will highlight the application of diverse theories of leadership namely transformational, servant and transactional leadership, and also their influence on the staff performance and engagement within Apple Inc. Further, it will also critically analyse the way through which such styles of leadership have been adapted by the leaders of the company, and its impact on workforce satisfaction, their behaviour and also performance outputs. It will further offer recommendations about how Apple can improve its leadership practice in order to better drive staff engagement and performance at the organisation.
8 Years | MA
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In organization, leaders play a crucial role in creating highly motivated as well as productive workforce. Through forming a culture of inclusivity, support, recognition, and value-based work, leadership within the companies empower involvement and performance of the employees. Several types of leadership theories clarify the role of leadership in improving engagement, motivation, and productivity of employees at the workplace (Megheirkouni and Norrington, 2024). In the context of Apple, some of these theories are described below:
Transformational leadership
Transformational leadership theory suggests a style of leadership in which behaviour of leader’s impact their team members or followers, motivating them to work out of their comfort zone and above their supposed abilities. This theory encourages a coaching style which highlights inspiring followers as well as developing a shared goal, and cheering them to achieve it. The elementary capabilities of a leader tend to make focus on transformational leadership which involve capability to mobilize and motivates employees and increases their morale to a higher level. This theory involves different elements which are 4 I’s namely intellectual stimulation, idealized influence, individual consideration, and inspirational motivation (Gebreheat, Teame, and Costa, 2023). These components describe leaders who promote creativity and innovation, are exemplary role models for the followers, serve as guides and advisors and motivate followers to be dedicated to the vision of the organisation.
In terms of Apple Inc., its former CEO, Steve Jobs is many a times quoted as leader who follows transformational style of leadership. Jobs idealistic mind-set and its application in product designing and development form a motivated corporate culture which encourages the workers to think in a unique, creative and innovative way (Why Steve Jobs Is A Transformational Leader, 2025). Leadership approach of the former CEO of Apple inspires the staff members at the organisation to perform the best, with a vibrant and transparent intention of transforming technology.
Transactional leadership
Transactional leadership is a form of leadership style which uses punishments and rewards to direct and motivate followers. This leadership is also known as managerial leadership, highlights the significance of organisation, structure, outcomes, performance and supervision. It is a leadership style within which an individual or manifold people undertake top level management roles for a restricted time period. Under transactional leadership, a company has a provisional leader until more enduring leadership can takeover (Megheirkouni and Norrington, 2024). This leadership assumes that there are subordinates and superiors, as well as subordinates validate the features like not self-motivated, adhere clearly described objectives, inspired by punishment and reward, and should be closely handled and monitored. This style works best within an organized environment where there persist very less fluctuations from already established processes of business and clearly defined roles with particular tasks to achieve or attain. A leader following such style pursues to have subordinates provide particular results which are quantifiable and articulated.
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This style of leadership in not much emphasized at Apple, however the leadership style of the present CEO, Tim Cook integrates some of the aspects of transactional leadership within the company (Dong, 2023). These aspects assist in confirming that business operations are flawless, organisation is fulfilling targets and also effectively managing the large-scale functions of the organisations. Within a business setting where innovation is profound, leaders require to think beyond the reward strategies and proactively involve with staff members in order to rouse innovative and creative thinking. Therefore, innovative and dynamic environment at Apple is more appropriate for transformational leadership instead a transactional leadership style.
Servant Leadership
Servant leadership style revolves around the thought that leaders give priority to offering better to the team members. Servant leaders serve their organisation and team firstly, and then come their own personal goals. This leadership highlights the welfare, empowerment and development of the staff members as the first priority. Such style intends to nurture an inclusive work culture which allows each and every team member within the company to flourish as their reliable self. Such style of leadership pursues to move personnel communication and management far away from controlling practices as well as towards a more harmonious and collegial relationship. Pillars of servant leadership theory involve put people first, skilled communicator, compassionate collaborator, person of character and so no.
In addition to this, Apple’s CEO, Tim Cook is frequently stared as a servant leader. Leadership style of Cook emphasizes on empowering the staff members, forming harmony among the workers. Cook promotes cooperation and partnership, as well as gives value to input from the employees (DeAngelis, 2025). Further, Cook is famous for being very amicable and promotes work-life balance initiatives, as well as is deeply engaged in social roots that ultimately nurture an assisting and backed corporate culture.
Leadership of former CEO of Apple, Steve Jobs at the organisation is an intensely important illustration of transformational leadership. Jobs motivating innovation, visionary thinking and persistent concentration on product brilliance transformed various sectors and positioned Apple as an international leader within technology. The compelling personality and also progressive approach of Steve Jobs were chief to the company’s growth and reputation. Jobs motivated the staff members at the organisation to go beyond what is expected from them and push their potential to next level (Celestin and Sujatha, 2024). At Apple, Jobs focus was on brilliance, innovation and creativeness, this in turn inspired workforce at the company to become risk takers and go beyond their comfort zone and do something revolutionary. A considerable and noteworthy example of transformational leadership and disruptive innovation at the company, which disrupted the smart phone sector, was IPhone by Apple (Addy et al, 2024).
Under the leadership of Steve Jobs at Apple, the company developed an ethos of heightened staff involvement, where the workforce at the organisation was inspired by the great chance to operate on the pioneering and revolutionary developments. Jobs personal participation in the product design and development, together with the capability to share a captivating vision, stimulates and inspires the staff members (Stier, 2024). This has made a workplace culture at the organisation which is extremely connecting and involving employees, which lead to them feeling passionately involved within the growth and success of the organisation.
In addition to this, Tim Cook the present CEO of Apple, employed some of the components of transactional leadership style within his authority, in order to modernize business operations, uphold effectiveness and make sure that the goals of the company are achieved. Tim Cook is well-recognised for attention to detail abilities and also operational proficiency that had played a pivotal role in scaling up the operations of the company within the global business landscape. The approach adopted by Cook made sure that the company endures to supply its offering on a timely basis, upholding great quality criteria, as well as handling supply chain in an efficient way (Jobs, 2025).
Although, Steve Jobs focused on long-run vision and innovation during his leadership period, the leadership style adopted by Tim Cook has come up with a further practical methodology in order handle daily global business operations. Further, the important business decision in relation to pricing of the offerings as well as supply chain management taken by Tim Cook, which focused more on stability in long-run, has assisted the company to endure to be competitive and make profits (Kumar, 2022). Such focus has donated to support increased employee engagement and performance through offering unblemished expectations and structures for the staff members.
Further, in spite of being known as difficult and demanding, Steve Jobs can be observed as a leader adopting servant leadership in numerous chief ways. Jobs put the needs and requirements of the customer first, inspired and empowered team members and hold himself responsible, these practices aligned with the aspects of servant leadership. Further, Tim Cook is well-known for his empathic behaviour, with great concentration on assisting the requirements and wants of staff members (Adigwe, 2024). Under the umbrella of servant leadership, the company has taken considerable steps in relations to factors such as work diversity, community involvement as well as sustainability.
Along with this, leadership style of Cook is considered by his work ethic, emphasis on employee wellness and also humility. Cook is recognised as an open communicator, approachable person, and also its dedication towards social responsibility, this aligns greatly with staff members who are progressively searching for workplaces which are devoted to purpose or cause (Mullins, 2016). Support by Cook for personal growth of employees and also cultivating a sense of inclusivity have been chief to augmenting employee involvement, gratification and also performance.
The diverse leadership styles adopted by leaders at Apple had a substantial influence on the performance and involvement of staff members in the company. Under the leadership of Steve Jobs, workforce was shaped by desire for being part of innovative and revolutionary developments and a purpose driven culture. Moreover, ability of Job to motivate and challenge staff members at Apple donated to increased extended of inherent inspiration, leading to robust business performance as well as creation of disruptive electronic items (Stier, 2024). Furthermore, under the leadership of Tim Cook, focusing on servant style of leadership and operational competence, has upheld heightened levels of staff involvement. Such tactic of Cook has made the company a great place to work and also attracted talent.
Conclusion and Recommendations
On the basis of above study, it can be concluded that, leadership has played a significant and vital role in driving employee performance and engagement at Apple Inc. Through developing a supportive and inclusive work environment, caring for employees’ interests and recognising them, leaders has the power to improve performance and involvement of the workers. At the company, leadership of Steve Jobs cultivated an organisational culture of brilliance and innovation, and on the other hand Tim Cook’s leadership confirmed staff welfare and operational competence. Components of diverse styles of leadership have been observed under the leadership of both the CEO’s, and both of them have donated to the success and growth of the company in distinct manners.
In order to further improve performance and engagement of staff members, Apple can nurture a profounder association among its workforce and leadership, encouraging a highly backed and progressively compassionate workplace environment. Further, the organisation should allow worker to sometimes shadow other team member or offer them training on diverse role within the company, this will augment engagement and help employees to better understand the way through which diverse moving parts in the company operate altogether. Also, the company can adopt effective leadership development programs.
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